China halts freight train traffic with North Korea
ABC News
China says it halted railroad freight traffic with North Korea as it deals with the spread of COVID-19 in the border town of Dandong
BEIJING -- China says it halted railroad freight traffic with North Korea as it deals with the spread of COVID-19 in the border town of Dandong.
The countries had reopened trade between Dandong and North Korea’s Sinuiju in January following a two-year pause while the North imposed one of the world's most restrictive pandemic border closures despite the strain on its broken economy.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Friday the decision to suspend the freight services was taken “in light of the current epidemic situation in Dandong,” but he gave no other details.
The Dandong city government on Monday ordered all residents to swiftly return home and stay there to stem the spread of the virus. It said the government would make strenuous efforts to ensure the daily needs of residents but made no mention of links with North Korea and did not say when the lockdown would be lifted.
